Former England manager Sir Walter Winterbottom "I'll remember him for his direct style of play" real 14kThe late Stan Cullis reminisces on his career"There was something about the floodlight matches that was quite out of the ordinary" real 14k

Wednesday, 28 February, 2001, 10:32 GMT

Wolves legend Cullis dies

Cullis' captain was England skipper Billy Wright

Stan Cullis, who led Wolves to their first league titles and European glory in the 1950s, has died at the age of 85.

Cullis, a cultured centre-half and former England captain, had been living at a Worcestershire nursing home and had been unwell for some time.

As a manager, he became known by Wolves fans as the Master of Molineux after steering them to three league titles in the 1950s.

Cullis' Wolves also raised morale across the whole country with a hat-trick of wins over top European clubs Moscow Spartak, Honved and Moscow Dynamo.

Cullis factfile

League appearances for Wolves: 155

England caps: 12

Manager of Wolves: 1948-64

League titles as manager: 1954, 1958 and 1959

FA Cups as manager: 1949 and 1960

Though his side never reached a final in Europe, the victories came at a time when England were reeling after heavy defeats by Hungary.

The Second World War interrupted Cullis' playing career and he won only 12 England caps although he also played in 20 wartime matches.

He captained England against Romania in the last international before the outbreak of war at the age of just 22, then the youngest player to wear the skipper's armband.

Cullis joined Wolves under another great manager, Major Frank Buckley, in 1934.

Cullis' acheivements lifted a morale-sapped England

He made 155 appearances for the club and would have made many more had the war not halted the league programme for seven seasons

Though Cullis never won a trophy in Europe, he brought unprecedented success during his 16 years as Molineux.

Cullis was lucky to have some of the era's great players in his side, including wing-half Billy Wright, the England captain.

Wolves won the League championship in 1954, 1958 and 1959, finished runners-up in 1950, 1955 and 1960, and came third in 1953 and 1956.

They also lifted the FA Cup in 1949 and 1960.

Cullis' tenure came to an end with a bitter sacking in September 1964.

After vowing not to return to football and turning down an offer from Juventus, Cullis re-emerged as manager of Birmingham City a year later.

But in his five-year spell he never managed to recapture his earlier successes.

The FA have confirmed that tributes will be paid to Cullis at England's friendly against Spain at Villa Park.